Major 'destroyed abuse evidence'

[emad]

BBC


The commanding officer of three British soldiers accused of abusing prisoners destroyed his records two weeks before their court martial, a court has heard.

The soldiers are accused of abusing and assaulting Iraqi looters at an aid camp in Basra, southern Iraq, in May 2003.

Maj Dan Taylor admits telling the troops to "work them hard" but denies ordering them to "beast" the prisoners.

At the hearing, in Germany, he denied destroying the notebooks because they proved he was being untruthful.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/4205145.stm

[Name removed]

2. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[ashiebr]

7. LOL N/T

[Gman]

3. LIke he would say,

"oh, sure, I destroyed them. So what?"

[emad]

4. US and UK 'ignore torture by Iraqi police'

The Independent
By Kim Sengupta in Basra
25 January 2005


Iraqi security forces have been committing widespread torture and other human rights abuses while US and British authorities turn a blind eye, according to a report.

The accusation that police and soldiers, trained by the occupying powers, are routinely mistreating detainees, including children, is made by the pressure group Human Rights Watch. In a report called The New Iraq - Torture and Ill-treatment of Detainees in Iraqi Custody, it has catalogued malpractice by security forces ranging from arbitrary arrest and severe beatings to extortion. It says the interim government of Iyad Allawi had flouted the principles for which the overthrow of Saddam Hussein was justified.

Human Rights Watch says international monitors put in place to prevent corruption and brutality by Iraqi security officials have failed to act."The US government has devoted considerable resources towards providing international advisers to assist the Iraqi interim government in training and equipping Iraq's security and police forces. Unfortunately, these advisers have apparently given low priority to addressing the crucial issue of detainee abuse by the Iraqi police."

http://news.independent.co.uk/world/middle_east/story.jsp?story=604282

[Selteri]

5. Not surprising but still disgusting. NT

[Judi Lynn]

6. He's a hero, all right.

"In this case, they were not normal civilians, they were looters," he said. "I didn't believe it was breaking any laws or regulations."

http://english.aljazeera.net/NR/exeres/1F6CFF45-2351-4825-B44F-9FB5B6EEBA2B.htm

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

When asked by a prosecutor why he gave the order, Major Taylor replied: "In an effort to stop looting that was rife within the Bread Basket camp, and there did not appear to be any other way we could prevent that looting, short of doing what the locals wanted us to do, which was shoot people.

"I have to say what we did failed because, if anything, the looting got worse," he said.

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/21/international/europe/21cnd-britain.html?oref=login

[Ripley]

8. Gak! Now they're blaming "the locals."

Yep, we tortured, raped and killed them because that was local custom. :crazy:

[truthpusher]

9. Major 'gave order to thrash Iraqis'

http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/ukworld/tm_objectid=15116077&method=full&siteid=50142&headline=major--gave-order-to-thrash-iraqis--name_page.html

Major 'gave order to thrash Iraqis'

Jan 25 2005

An Army major ordered his soldiers to "thrash" Iraqi civilians who were caught looting at a humanitarian aid camp , a court heard.

Major Dan Taylor, who served with the 1st Battalion The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, is alleged to have given the order to 75 of his men at an early morning briefing held in Camp Bread Basket, Basra.

It is alleged the Iraqis were then rounded up and and forced to run carrying heavy boxes of powdered milk above their heads while being hit with poles.

more:

http://icnorthwales.icnetwork.co.uk/news/ukworld/tm_objectid=15116077&method=full&siteid=50142&headline=major--gave-order-to-thrash-iraqis--name_page.html

[Liberal Veteran]

1. No doubt if he were in the US, Bush would be awarding him the

Medal of Freedom.

:eyes: